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Toddler safely home, father may have fled to Mexico

Law enforcement officers with the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department have confirmed that a man wanted for absconding with his two-year-old son after setting fire to his girlfriend’s parents’ mobile home crossed the border into Mexico af

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Toddler safely home, father may have fled to Mexico

Sun-News Reports, .
Published 7:13 a.m. MT Jan. 3, 2017

An Amber Alert was issued for 2-year-old Ethan Jacquez, described as three feet tall with dark brown hair. He was last seen wearing a blue-green pajama top and red pajama bottoms. He is believed to still be with Sergio Guadalupe Jacquez, who reportedly took an elderly couple’s truck. The truck is described as a white 2001 Ford F-150 extended cab pickup truck bearing New Mexico plates, 134PJW.(Photo: Courtesy)

LAS CRUCES - A man wanted for taking his two-year-old son after setting fire to his girlfriend’s parents’ mobile home crossed the border into Mexico after the toddler was safely returned to relatives in Anthony, N.M., according to the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office. The child is safe and in good health, according to sheriff's department officials.

An Amber Alert for Ethan Jacquez was issued Monday night, after his 23-year-old father, Sergio Guadalupe Jacquez, allegedly beat the child’s grandfather, set fire to the family’s mobile home, and left with the toddler in a stolen pickup truck. Jacquez remains at large. A warrant for his arrest has been issued and bond was set at $100,000 cash.

Border officials confirmed to sheriff’s deputies Monday night that the white Ford was picked up on a license plate reader at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry. Deputies are now working with federal officials to locate Jacquez, who has been charged with arson, aggravated battery, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, abuse of a child and battery.

According to detectives, Sergio Guadalupe Jacquez went to the home of his son’s maternal grandparents in the 100 block of Powell in La Mesa just after 1 p.m. Monday, demanding to take his son. The boy’s grandfather refused to let the boy go, prompting Jacquez to allegedly strike the grandfather repeatedly. The boy’s grandmother was inside the home at the time, where the boy was reportedly sleeping.

Jacquez reportedly forced his way into the home and poured gasoline inside. According to the grandparents, Jacquez then set the home on fire. When the smoke forced the woman and the boy outside, Jacquez reportedly shoved the grandmother to the ground and took his son, reportedly fleeing in the grandparents’ 2001 white Ford F-150 pickup truck.

Doña Ana County firefighters who were called to the scene reported that the home was a total loss. Sheriff’s deputies immediately began the process of working with New Mexico State Police to issue an Amber Alert for the missing boy. A series of events that are required to successfully launch the alert had to be completed prior to the alert being issued.

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